


Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

by LeeMorrigan



Series: Red Head in a Red Shirt [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas proposal, F/M, Fluff, Merry Christmas, More Fluff, Nat King Cole - Freeform, romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29651073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeeMorrigan/pseuds/LeeMorrigan
Summary: When the Enterprise has an unscheduled, unexpected overhaul done it allows the crew a short-notice shore leave around the time of Christmas. What happens when Jim conspires to make sure Bones's Christmas plans aren't totally ruined by the overhaul of the ship and the training Bones's girlfriend was required to go to?
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Original Female Character(s), Spock/Nyota Uhura
Series: Red Head in a Red Shirt [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/877026
Kudos: 2





	Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: I listened to Dolly Parton's Hard Candy Christmas, a celtic instrumental Christmas album, Nat King Cole Christmas, and Judy Garland's Have Yourself (A Merry Little Christmas) while writing this, so if you want to make a playlist for this, there you go.
> 
> Trigger Warning: Bones tries to drown his Christmas blues in booze at the beginning. Mentions people not-having somewhere to go/someone to share Christmas with, and disappointed hopes post-divorce.

Leonard sipped his bourbon then leaned back against the headboard. It was Christmas Eve and he was alone, in a hotel, during an unexpected shore leave. The Enterprise had been through a few bad incidents in a short period and as such, was being taken care of at the space station they were currently docked in.

Jim had basically swung it so that everyone got 9 days leave, aside from the senior officers, who had to stay an extra day and return a day sooner. Leonard didn’t mind so much. They were too far away for him to get back to Earth to see his family back in Georgia, Jim was spending his leave with his new love, Uhura and Spock were going to visit New Vulcan for a couple days, Chapel was off with her significant other to Meet The Family, Chekov was with his girl, Sulu had met up with his husband and daughter to do Christmas, and Raphaelle was at a conference.

Leonard intended to polish off his bourbon and listen to some old music until he fell asleep. He half-wished he could forget what day it was. Christmas had been the most-special holiday back when he had been growing up, particularly it had been his father’s favorite day of the year.

After he got married, he had been excited to share Christmases for decades to come with his new bride. That didn’t work out. Leonard had long made his peace with the fallout from his divorce, especially of losing all the ‘what could have been’ he had built in his head for years.

Then, Christmas would come around. At the academy, Jim used to drag Leonard out to have dinner at some diner that served slow roasted turkey and all the fixings. It was surprisingly good and with Jim’s company, Leonard enjoyed the holiday well enough not to be a total grouch when he went back for his shift at the Academy clinic.

Once he got out into the black, Leonard had found the holiday more suffocating than lonely. A large portion of the human crew were into the celebration of Christmas. There would be decorations in the mess, music floating out of personal quarters, and various parties between shifts. The worst part, for him, was a combination of Secret Santa and the hidden mistletoe.

Jim started putting some rules out for mistletoe after hearing Leonard harp enough it enough. It could not be anywhere near the replicator, nowhere in Medical, nowhere around the transporter pad, and not above the entrances to the bridge or the mess. Uhura, bless her, had started a rumor of an old Earth tradition that friends used to high-five under a mistletoe rather than kissing or hugging. That saved Leonard from a few overly enthusiastic interactions.

But now, alone, probably a billion light years from Georgia or the nearest decent mint julip, Leonard just wanted to drink and forget. Forget the day, forget the plans he had made for the day, and forget the smaller present he had sitting under a cushion of the sofa in his quarters back on the ship. Leonard looked at his empty glass. It wouldn’t help him empty, so he poured himself a refill.

A knock interrupted Leonard’s minor pity party. He ignored it in favor of another sip of his bourbon, then telling the computer to turn the music up a little. The knock grew louder.

“I’m not home!”, Leonard growled to himself, doubting it could be heard through the fancy doors of the hotel at the space station.

Jim had promised he and his girl would come check on Leonard later. He admitted to Leonard that he felt guilty about the timing of Raphaelle going to her conference. Leonard let out a sigh as he lifted the glass for another drink.

Another knock. Leonard tried to ignore it but the knocking did not stop. He groused as he got up from his bed.

“Jim, if that’s you, I will hypo you with every single allergy med and vaccine I can think to hit you with. You won’t be able to turn your head for a month, when I’m through with you.”

He opened the door, ready to take Jim’s head off only to find Raphaelle. She grinned up at him, a present under one arm, her duffel over her opposite shoulder.

“Expecting someone else?”

“Jim.”

“Figured.”

“How are you here?”

“Hitched a ride with Santa. Can I come in?”

Leonard nodded dumbly. For a moment he just stared.

“Leo, you alright? How much of that bourbon have you had?”

“I just hit the shoulders.”

She nodded, and this time Leonard did step aside to let her in. Despite the crabby mood he had been well sunken into a few minutes ago, Leonard found himself already feeling more relaxed and at ease with Raphaelle in his room. She looked so different, in her battered leather motorcycle jacket, a faded green flannel shirt, and well-worn jeans, with the drab olive duffel, and her long red hair loose over her back.

“I’m guessing you didn’t really hitch a ride with the fella in red, although, with what we’ve seen out in the black, I wouldn’t be shocked.”

Raphaelle dropped her bag and carefully put her present on the little coffee table.

“Not even a candle, Leo? Really? You the Grinch?”, she teased before moving to hug him.

Leonard’s arms moved around her easily, holding her snugly to his chest.

“Jim called in a couple favors to make sure I got back by Christmas. And, on the odd chance I didn’t make it tonight, he was going to come hang out with you until I did get here.”

“I left your gift on the Enterprise, in my office.”

Raphaelle leaned, kissing him.

“That’s alright. It’ll make the holiday last longer.”

He kissed her again. Raphaelle moved to take his hand, tugging him into the living area. When they got to the sofa, Leonard caught the edge of her jacket and slipped it over her shoulders and hung it up while Raphaelle moved her bag to the bedroom area.

“I can’t believe Jim got you back by Christmas.”

Raphaelle smiled over at Leonard as she kicked off her shoes.

“You’re his brother, Leonard. Maybe not by blood, but you’ve been there for him every day and night since that shuttle to Starfleet. Hell, you brought him back from the dead.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, you’re starting to sound like our legendary captain.”

She blew a raspberry. Leonard chuckled quietly at her antics.

“Come on, you look tired and I know I’m beat. Let’s hit the sofa and you can tell me how everyone’s doing.”

He nodded, walking with her. She had left two weeks before they came into drydock for the repairs. Leonard had missed her enough that even M’Benga and Chapel had threatened to shoot him up with a sedative.

Leonard sat, Raphaelle dropping a bit more dramatically into the sofa. They settled, with Leonard’s head resting in Raphaelle’s lap, holding her one hand with his eyes closed, as he filled her in on everyone’s various plans. Her one hand in his hair, messaging his scalp, was doing wonders for the headache he had woken with.

Raphaelle chuckled here and there as Leonard told her about Scotty refusing to leave the ship at first and being almost dragged out by Keenser, and about some of the other crew who had been a bit more reluctant to leave. She especially enjoyed hearing about Jim getting caught with Uhura under the mistletoe with Spock and Leonard standing almost right next to each of them, and Jim’s girl just down the hall smirking.

It wasn’t long before Raphaelle heard a slight snore from her lap. She bit her lip to keep her chuckle from escaping. With his hair ruffled and his faded Starfleet shirt and sweat pants that constituted PJs, he looked a decade younger. And as cute as a puppy with a pet monkey, as her cousin Bridgette would say.

After her travels and her hectic two weeks of training away from the Enterprise, Raphaelle was fine with sitting as she was, listening to some old Christmas music, with a sleeping Leonard in her lap, holding her hand. She could easily take this as a Christmas Eve tradition.

Despite the Nat King Cole and soft glow of the artificial ‘evening’ lighting, Raphaelle decided to wake Leonard. If she didn’t, he would likely get a crick in his neck. Leaning down, she pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

“Leo?”, she whispered.

He shuffled a little, turning his face into her stomach and tugging her hand up against his chest as he muttered something unintelligible.

“Len?”, she said a little louder.

“Leeeennn?”, she tried.

He seemed to burrow closer into her. Raphaelle was tempted to shout ‘doctor’ or ‘red alert’, though thought better of it. She didn’t want to give him a heart attack on Christmas. Or have him jerk out of her lap and slam onto the floor.

Leaning, she kissed his temple and muttered a little in the old Gaelic. It seemed to rouse him a little. He was probably trying to figure out where he was and what was going on.

“Rafe?”

“You awake?”

“Was I asleep?”, he asked as he looked up at her, a bit bleary eyed.

She nodded. Leonard made a discontented noise, dragging a big hand down over his face. That’s how she knew how tired he really was. The gesture was a dead giveaway.

“Come on. Bed.”

“I’m comfortable here.”

“You say now. Before the crick.”

He nodded, allowing her to tug him up into a sitting position so she could get up. His attention seemed to come to the gift she had left on the floor when she came in.

“What’d you get? If you bought Jim a pony, I’m quitting Starfleet.”

“No pony.”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Did you get Spock a cat?”

“Nope. I leave the pet-giving to significant-others and parents. Besides, that’s your present from me.”

He let his head drop.

“I left yours on the ship. DIdn’t think I’d see you till after the holiday.”

“You told me that before. It’s really alright.”, she said as she shrugged to let him know she meant it.

“Just makes the holiday last longer.”, he teased.

“Precisely.”

She yanked off her shoes, chucking them across the room.

“How do you always do that?”

Raphaelle looked back at Leonard, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

“Make whatever happens, just be okay? Water off a duck’s back.”

Raphaelle shrugged again.

“My mom says I’ve been claiming late birthday cards, belated well-wishes, and Christmas presents that got delayed in the post, were all just ways of making a holiday or occasion, last a little longer… since I was… wee little. My grandpa said I still had my baby teeth, the first time I told him a late present from him, for my birthday, was just making my birthday party last extra days.”

Leonard moved closer, wrapping his arms around Rafe, tugging her into his chest. Up close, he could see how dark her lashes were and how there was a little scar just above her left eyebrow. His tough Security chief.

“We can do Christmas when you get back from your checks you have to do on the med bay tomorrow morning. Give me a chance to check in, take care of a couple bits of red tape. Then, I can have you all to myself until call-back.”

Leonard nodded, then leaned to press his forehead against Rafe’s. She was so warm and his contentment of her being back in his arms mixed with the lingering buzz from his bourbon, was doing nothing to help him stay awake. He felt Rafe’s smile.

“Come on, lets get you in bed.”

He followed her, both of them making quick work of their clothes. Leonard pulled on some navy cotton sleep pants his mama sent to him last Christmas, while Rafe came out of the ‘fresher in the green plaid shorts and green sweatshirt that constituted her pajamas, but with the added Christmas flare of red socks that had green and white candy canes on them. She was too cute.

“Like my socks?”

“I was admirin’ them.”

“Good. They are special Christmas socks. My sister sent them.”

They pulled the covers back and settled in for the night. Leonard tugged Rafe back against his chest, his one arm wrapped around her middle, the other under their shared pillow. She smiled as she turned, placing a kiss against his shoulder.

“Merry Christmas, Len.”

“Merry Christmas, Raphaelle.”

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Raphaelle woke to an empty hotel room. For a second, she had been quite disoriented. In the past three weeks, she had woken on the Enterprise, four different space stations, two hotels, a Starfleet training center, and now Leonard’s room on the space station Kilkenny.

Once she had rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she recalled that Leonard had a very early appointment to check some things on the in-progress overhaul of the Enterprise. She had her own appointments to get to before he was back. A quick lunch with the two guys in her team who had no family or significant other to share the shore leave with even if it wasn’t a holiday either man celebrated, then a quick check-in with Admiral Clusser.

It didn’t take Raphaelle long to run her errands and then she was back in she and Leonard’s room. She turned the music back to a Christmas playlist she had created a few weeks back with plenty of Nat King Cole, an old Celtic band she liked, and Dolly Parton. Once she had her music going, she got to the real work, making the impersonal beige and gray room, look ready for Christmas.

A replicated tree, some lights, a few streamers around the window frame, and three replicated pine-scented candles later, she gave a nod to her handiwork. It was Christmas-y enough to suit her. It was probably a little overboard for Leonard. He would indulge her though, she was sure.

The hiss of the door alerted her to Leonard’s return. She smiled. Think of the Devil.

“Merry Christmas!”, she greeted brightly to him.

Leonard froze halfway into the door. He had either expected her to still be finishing her errands or he had decided her return was a dream. Then he looked around the room.

“Sorry if it’s a little… much.”

He looked back at her, a soft smile on his face. There was a warmth to him in that moment that felt like Christmas to Raphaelle.

“No darlin’, this is just about perfect.”

Only then did she notice he held a couple decorated boxes in his arm, and a bag with something that smelled suspiciously like gingerbread cookies.

“Did you go shopping?”

His smile turned to a naughty grin as he moved past her to the little kitchen table. He laid out the fresh gingerbread cookies in their packet, then he pulled out two fresh salads, a small pitcher of lemonade, and a fresh loaf of bread. Raphaelle moved to look at the cookies. They weren’t shaped like gingerbread men, rather they were shaped like dinosaurs, cacti, and stars.

“There’s a bake shop here and I placed an order so it would be ready on my way back. Gingerbread cookies with traditional earth shapes- which apparently means T-red and not gingerbread men, chicken Caesar, and fresh bread. The lemonade is the only thing they have made with fresh and not replicated ingredients. No tea.”

Raphaelle smiled up at him and Leonard swore she looked a little damp in the eyes. He could almost make out the lump in her throat before she hugged him.

“It’s perfect Len, thank you.”

He held her back, kissing the top of her head.

“You’re welcome.”

As she moved for the silverware, she teased over her shoulder, “Let’s eat. I wanna see your face when you open your presents.”

“Presents, plural?”

“Yup.”, she confirmed, popping the P.

“You spoilin’ me, Rafe?”

“Only a little.”

Dinner passed pleasantly. They talked about old traditions from home, favorite presents they got as kids, dishes their moms made, favorite desserts, and who was the worst singer in the family caroling. He enjoyed their talk, and the ambiance of the room, thanks to Raphaelle’s touches.

Leonard couldn’t believe how Raphaelle had transformed the little hotel room from the bland, empty space into a warm, colorful holiday escape. He wasn’t surprised she had. When he left that morning, he had been sure he would come back to a replicated Christmas tree, some holiday tunes, and the presents under the little tree. What he hadn’t expected was the streamers, scented candles burning on trays around the room, and the green quilt she had thrown over the back of the sofa.

As Raphaelle told him about the antics of she and her cousin, Bridgette, Leonard thought of the smaller of the two presents he had put under her replicated tree. He hoped it was a welcome one and that he was not getting ahead of himself. Based on the effort she had put into his birthday a few weeks back and then today for Christmas, he was thinking it was fairly certain she would welcome the gift.

“And that’s how come we’re not allowed to have marshmellows as a Christmas dessert anymore.”, she concluded.

“I can understand your grandpa putting his foot down.”

“Yeah, but I mean, we’re grown ups now and our moms still won’t let us bring marshmellows near the house during Christmas. Not even for adding to gingerbread houses.”

“Speaking of, wanna grab a couple cookies and move to admire the tree?”

“And open presents?”, she asked with a grin.

“One track mind.”, he growled with no heat to it.

She shook her head with a chuckle.

“I’m dying for you to see what I got you!”, she answered back, “I’ve been hiding it for weeks and I really, really can’t take any more suspense.”

“But you already know what it is. That’s not suspense.”

That earned him getting her tongue stuck out at him as she moved the dishes back to have any leftovers re-absorbed for the replicator. A moment later, each with a fresh gingerbread cookie in hand, they moved over to the little Christmas tree. Raphaelle shoved the smaller of the two presents she had for him over to Leonard.

“I want you to open the little one first, or the big one won’t make as much sense.”

He nodded, sliding the bigger of the two he had for her, over.

“Then you get to open your big one first.”, he said, hoping she didn’t hear the nervousness he had in his voice when he spoke.

Judging by the slight shift of her brows, she heard it and was choosing not to comment. For now. They moved back to the sofa, each putting their plates with cookies, onto the coffee table to allow both hands for unwrapping.

“Ready, set, go – or take turns?”

“Turns.”, he answered, “You first.”

She smiled, shaking her head as she started to unwrap hers.

“You’re just making me wait longer before I see your reaction to your present. Rude.”

He shrugged, not trusting his voice. He didn’t want her to know it was because he knew she would insist he open his first on the second presents. It was how she was.

Raphaelle did not take long to have her gift unwrapped, and finally opening the paper box to reveal a brand new leather jacket with a heavy lining inside. He had checked. It was her size. Black leather, silvertone zipper, fully lined, and in a bomber style.

“Oh my goodness! Len, this is amazing!”

She held it up, then her hand ran down, feeling the softness of the leather.

“I know your old one got ruined on that undercover thing you and Jim did a few months back, and when you talked about the one of your grandfather’s that you left back on Earth, that had been your go-to jacket the whole time you were in the Academy, I figured this was the next best thing to getting his jacket sent out here to you.”

“Thank you.”, she said before launching over to hug Leonard enthusiastically.

He held her tight, rubbing a hand up and down her back.

“The lining looks like a map of old Earth, circa the early 20th century. Apparently old bombers had map-liners in them for reasons I don’t remember.”

She opened her mouth to start telling Len, but he waved her off.

“After we’re done with presents. I need more gingerbread before the history lesson.”

“It is brain food.”

He snorted, about to say something to that when Rafe shoved the next present at him, looking as giddy as a schoolchild. Len smiled, taking the present. He noticed Rafe pulling her new leather jacket on, despite not needing it in the hotel room, but it made Leonard smile to see her so happy with his present to her.

Leonard tore through the paper carefully, out of habit, before getting to the present. It was thin wooden box. Curious, he opened it to find a handful of vintage medical instruments. They were as old and well-cared for as the stethoscope Jim had gotten him a few years back during their Academy days. There was a mirrored tool, two glass syringes, a scalpel, and tool for looking in the ears, nose, eyes, and back of the throat. Leonard was blown away. To find such a set of tools, in such rare condition.

“How did you ever find these?”

“It took a while. One piece was at an auction and I had to send my uncle.”

She moved, getting his second present, and handing it to him. She was almost bouncing on her heels and her smile was wide enough to split her face.

“Here, this will make sense now.”

She rubbed her hands together as he began pulling back the paper to reveal an oddly shaped object. Black, it felt like leather. A doctor’s bag, as man old horse and buggy doctors would have had in the day.

He looked up, smiling as he held up the little black bag. Rafe looked like she might burst, her cheeks as rosy as a Christmas ornament.

“So I can put the tools of the trade in?”

“EXACTLY!”

She dropped happily into the space beside him, watching as he carefully put the tools into the bag. It really was perfect for him. He could put the stethoscope from Jim and the gag-gift wooden tongue depressors from Chapel, all in the bag when he got back to the Enterprise. If ever the power failed in some way or they went somewhere that prohibited the tools he was accustomed to using on the Enterprise, he would now have a low-tech backup.

Leonard smiled, feeling every bit of his nerves as he moved to get the second present he had for Raphaelle. This morning, he had been sure. He would ask, she would say ‘yes’, and they would live their own version of happily ever after. Now, he was sweating it, nolonger so sure of her answer.

For her part, Raphaelle was relighting one of the candles that had gone out, still snuggling into the new leather jacket. Her smile was so happy and almost dreamy, Leonard found himself just staring at her. He wondered if she had any idea the effect she had on him, on her friends, even the crew in general.

Raphaelle turned, looking up at Leonard. She seemed to catch onto something and looked a bit worried.

“Is something wrong?”, she asked, “Do I have icing on my nose or something?”

She reached, checking her face for icing off the gingerbread cookies and Leonard moved, catching one of her hands. He slid the present into it.

“No, just admirin’ the view, darlin’. Now come on, open your last present.”

He stepped back to give her space as she moved towards the sofa, carefully opening the dessert-plate sized box. Leonard could not resist one last bit of suspense for her. He also had done it to help avoid her guessing if she did happen upon the present before Christmas.

She got past the paper wrapping and to the thin wooden box he had picked up during their last shore leave. It was engraved specially with a phrase from a book she read all the time and had joked she might get a tattoo of that quote, one of these days. He watched as she traced the engraving with her fingertip.

“It’s beautiful.”, she said, looking up at him with a smile.

“Your present is inside of the box.”

“Oh?”

He nodded as she moved to the little latch.

“I didn’t get you a box.”

Raphaelle looked up, still smiling brightly.

“But it is a very pretty box.”

“Open it, woman.”

His patience was running out and he was genuinely worried he might pass out or hyperventilate if she did not open it soon so he could finally see if he had misjudged. She undid the latch, opening the lid of the small box to reveal a little roll of cloth with a ring strung in the middle of it. Peridot to match her birthstone, silver to match her scant jewelry, with a simple art deco design. It was as old as some of the medical equipment she had gotten him, with it’s own rich history he hoped to add a lifetime to.

He watched her face as he slid to a knee, on the floor in front of her. Her mouth hung open, her eyes wide, her hands frozen around the box. He had not seen her quite like this before and was a bit worried. Then, she looked back at him, smiling.

“Leonard?”

He reached to take one of her hands.

“I’m not good at speeches, but here it goes… I love you. In all that has come at me and all that has happened since Jim dragged me out into space with him, the most unexpected good thing has been meeting you. You’re tough, smart, sassy, and kind. Raphaelle, I am in love with you, and if you let me, I’d like to spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”

“You wanna marry me?”, she asked with her voice almost squeaking.

He nodded.

“I do.”

She flung herself forward into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“Better remember those words.”, she said before kissing him soundly.

“That a ‘yes’?”

She nodded, her eyes a bit watery as she bit her lower lip. Leonard reaching, tugging her lip away with his thumb.

“Yes.”

They kissed, deep and holding each other as if life depended on it. She had said yes. Leonard’s mind was racing and stalling out in equal measures

“I love you.”, he said as they came up for air, her fingers tangled in his hair and his shirt.

“I love you, too.”

She almost looked shy as she asked him, “What do we do now? Are we supposed to call people or keep dancing around, or what? I feel like I’ve missed some major Miss Manners thing here.”

Leonard leaned, pressing his forehead gently against hers. His hands settled at his waist, both of them on their knees, on the floor.

“Everyone is busy opening presents or in a food coma from Christmas dinner, and the ones who don’t do Christmas, are off enjoying shore leave. They can wait till tomorrow.”

She smiled, biting her lower lip as she looked up to his eyes. He would never tired of looking into her hunter green eyes.

“That mean I’ve got you all to myself tonight, then?”

“We’ve got each other, all to ourselves tonight, darlin’.”

Raphaelle nodded, a hand moving to cup the back of Leonard’s neck.

“Good.”

Her lips crashed against his once more and Leonard let himself get swept up in the tide.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Leonard could hardly believe where he was. Slow dancing to scented-candlelight in a hotel, on a star base, with the love of his life, on a shore leave from Starfleet. Ten years ago, he had thought he would die alone, probably in an accident on a ship, without anyone to mourn him except his mama and a few cousins. He hadn’t expected to find a best friend on the shuttle up to the Academy, the adventures he had been on, the circle of friends he had found, or the woman in his arms.

And now she was his fiancé. They were engaged. She had said ‘yes’.

Leonard smiled all over himself. He was unbelievably happy. He hadn’t the words to describe how he felt in this moment.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”, he inquired.

“The dance. I know it’s not your favorite thing.”

“Gotta get in some practice before we get hitched.”

Raphaelle chuckled at him.

“That mean after we get married, I won’t be able to talk you into this?”

Leonard smiled down at her.

“I might could be persuaded. Or bribed.”

“Oh?”

“I’m not unreasonable.”

Raphaelle grinned up at him, one eyebrow rising a little.

“Okay, I’m not entirely unreasonable.”

“That’s more like it.”

She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as the song changed.

“If it makes you smile like that and I get to keep you close, it won’t take much to persuade me.”

“Good to know.”

Leonard was about to ask her another question when a beeping informed him that Jim was trying to call them. Leonard growled while Raphaelle chuckled. She shoved him towards the comm unit.

“What’s the matter Jim? Is someone dying, cause this better be important.”

He heard Jim laugh.

“Did you exchange gifts yet?”

The excitement in Jim’s voice was unmistakable. He had known what Leonard had in mind for this Christmas. That he wanted to propose to Rafe. But it was also clear he being careful of his words, in case Leonard hadn’t popped the question yet and Rafe was in the room.

“Yes.”

“And?”

Leonard shook his head. Jim was worse than a child on Christmas Eve.

“I said yes!”

Jim whooped and hollered over the speakers, making Leonard smile as Rafe did a little happy dance of her own. It was a good feeling. His best friend and captain, cheering with his best friend and fiancé, over the good news.

“You both are going to wear me out.”, he teased a little.

Rafe moved to sit on the edge of the table where the comm unit was.

“How’s your Christmas, Jim?”

“Better now that I know we’ve got more reason to celebrate. You two enjoy tonight and tomorrow, but the day after we are getting dinner and you can tell me, Spock, and Uhura all about it.”

“What about your girlfriend?”, Leonard asked.

“She’s going tomorrow to catch her parents for a few hours. Their transport will be near enough and they can delay a little while to spend some time with their only daughter. I have another appointment with the Admiral tomorrow morning, so I wouldn’t hitch along. Well, Merry Christmas you two.”

“Merry Christmas, Jim.”, Leonard answered back.

“Talk to you the day after tomorrow, dinner.”

“You’ve got it.”

Jim clicked off and Leonard turned back to Raphaelle.

“So, you ready for another adventure, Dr.McCoy?”

“Only if you’re coming with me, Lt.Grainne.”

Her smile was as wide as a summer sky and bright as the sun.

“Then I guess you’ll always be ready for another adventure.”

Leonard moved, kissing her, his arms encircling her. If this is what he had to look forward to, Leonard was more than happy to join her on any adventure. Not that he would admit it to Jim, while sober. He was grateful he had gotten onto that shuttle next to the kid with the busted up face, then dragged that same kid up onto the Enterprise on that terrible day. All those decisions lead up to where they were now.

“Leonard?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

His face felt like it would split from the smiling he had been doing. It was a good feeling.

“Ready for bed?”

“No, I’m not ready for Christmas to be over just yet.”

“Want to cuddle on the sofa and stare at the tree some more?”

“I mean, we do still have all those cookies.”

Leonard busted out laughing, thinking of the dinosaur and star cookies.

“Very true.”

“Come on. Lets have some cookies, listen to a few more songs, look at the tree, and just… enjoy.”

He nodded, letting her tug him along into the kitchen. She handed him a cookie then grabbed a second one as she smiled a naughty grin at him.

“We can go to bed in a bit, I promise.”

Leonard moved closer, leaning to kiss the tip of her nose. She seemed to bring it out in him.

“I don’t mind to cuddle on the sofa with you and enjoy the Christmas you worked to put up in here.”

Raphaelle kissed his lips softly.

“Good, cause you look kind of cute by Christmas twinkle light.”

He chuckled, then tugged her to the sofa. He threw the green quilt over their legs, ordering the computer to turn the temperature down a little in the room and had the view screen pull up a yule log burning. It wasn’t quite Christmas back in Georgia but tonight was still perfect, with Raphaelle and the music as they enjoyed a fake fire and a replicated tree, together.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
